The Role
Lead and manage the internal IT helpdesk team, ensuring tickets are triaged and resolved to SLAs. Provide hands-on escalation support for Microsoft 365, Azure, Intune, Exchange Online, and CRM SaaS (Zoho). Implement helpdesk processes, onboarding/offboarding, documentation, reporting, and continuous improvement while collaborating with technical teams and external vendors.
Summary Generated by Built In
Overview
We are looking for an experienced and proactive Helpdesk Manager to lead our internal IT helpdesk function and ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of business-critical systems across Portman Finance Group.
This role will be responsible for managing the helpdesk team, overseeing support tickets, implementing helpdesk best practices, maintaining high standards across user support, incident management, documentation, and service delivery, and personally handling support tickets where required, including escalations and during busy periods.
The Helpdesk Manager will support and oversee key platforms including Microsoft 365, Azure infrastructure, Azure AD/Entra ID, Intune, Exchange Online, CRM SaaS platforms including Zoho CRM, and other cloud-based business systems. The role will also involve working closely with the wider technical team, software developers, solution architects, external IT partners, and business stakeholders to ensure issues are resolved efficiently and improvements are implemented effectively.
This is a hands-on leadership role suited to someone with strong technical knowledge, excellent communication skills, and proven experience managing helpdesk staff and introducing best practice processes, policies, and standards.
Responsibilities
We are looking for an experienced and proactive Helpdesk Manager to lead our internal IT helpdesk function and ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of business-critical systems across Portman Finance Group.
This role will be responsible for managing the helpdesk team, overseeing support tickets, implementing helpdesk best practices, maintaining high standards across user support, incident management, documentation, and service delivery, and personally handling support tickets where required, including escalations and during busy periods.
The Helpdesk Manager will support and oversee key platforms including Microsoft 365, Azure infrastructure, Azure AD/Entra ID, Intune, Exchange Online, CRM SaaS platforms including Zoho CRM, and other cloud-based business systems. The role will also involve working closely with the wider technical team, software developers, solution architects, external IT partners, and business stakeholders to ensure issues are resolved efficiently and improvements are implemented effectively.
This is a hands-on leadership role suited to someone with strong technical knowledge, excellent communication skills, and proven experience managing helpdesk staff and introducing best practice processes, policies, and standards.
Responsibilities
- Manage the day-to-day operation of the IT
helpdesk, ensuring tickets are triaged, prioritised, assigned, and
resolved within agreed service levels.
- Lead, support, and develop helpdesk staff,
including workload management, coaching, performance monitoring, and
escalation support.
- Personally handle helpdesk tickets where
required, including escalated tickets, complex issues, urgent
business-impacting incidents, and during busy periods.
- Act as a senior escalation point for
technical issues, ensuring timely resolution and clear communication with
users and stakeholders.
- Implement and maintain helpdesk best
practices, processes, policies, documentation standards, and service
management procedures.
- Oversee support across Microsoft 365,
Exchange Online, Azure AD / Entra ID, Azure infrastructure, Azure VPN,
Intune, and endpoint management.
- Manage user onboarding, off-boarding, account
access, permissions, device configuration, and security-related
administration.
- Provide oversight and support for CRM SaaS
platforms, primarily Zoho CRM, including support tickets, user queries,
workflows, dashboards, permissions, and system administration.
- Ensure helpdesk tickets are accurately
documented, updated, and resolved in line with internal expectations.
- Maintain and improve IT policies, support
procedures, knowledge base articles, and internal documentation.
- Support the implementation of IT security,
access control, device management, and compliance best practices.
- Produce regular reporting on helpdesk
performance, ticket volumes, resolution times, recurring issues, and
service improvement actions.
Requirements
Skills and Experience Required
- Proven experience managing helpdesk staff or
an IT support team.
- Strong experience implementing helpdesk best
practices, policies, processes, and service management procedures.
- Solid technical experience supporting
Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, Azure AD / Entra ID, Azure infrastructure,
Intune, and endpoint/device management.
- Experience administering and supporting SaaS
CRM platforms, ideally Zoho CRM, although experience with Salesforce,
Microsoft Dynamics, HubSpot, or similar platforms would also be
beneficial.
- Strong understanding of ticket management,
incident prioritisation, escalation processes, SLAs, documentation, and
reporting.
- Experience personally handling escalated
support tickets, complex technical issues, and high-volume helpdesk
periods.
- Experience managing onboarding and
off-boarding processes, access control, permissions, and user lifecycle
management.
- Confident troubleshooting Microsoft cloud
services, identity, device, access, and SaaS application issues.
- Strong leadership, communication, and
stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a
fast-paced technical environment.
- A practical, hands-on approach with the
ability to balance management responsibilities with direct technical
support when needed.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the
ability to identify root causes and drive continuous improvement.
Desired Skills
and Experience
- 3+ years’ experience in IT support, service
desk, systems administration, or helpdesk environments.
- Previous experience in a Helpdesk Manager,
Service Desk Manager, IT Support Manager, or Senior Support role.
- Experience managing Microsoft Intune
policies, device compliance, endpoint security, and application
deployment.
- Experience supporting Azure infrastructure,
VPNs, networking, identity management, and cloud security controls.
- Experience with Zoho CRM administration,
workflows, dashboards, automations, and user permissions (not essential).
- Familiarity with ITIL or similar service
management frameworks.
- Experience creating helpdesk KPIs, reports,
knowledge bases, support policies, and process documentation.
- Experience working with external IT
providers, MSPs, or third-party SaaS vendors.
Personal Attributes
- Excellent written and verbal communication
skills.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to
motivate, support, and develop helpdesk staff.
- Calm under pressure and able to manage
urgent issues professionally.
- Highly organised with strong attention to
detail.
- Able to prioritise effectively and manage
multiple work streams at once.
- Proactive, enthusiastic, and service-focused
with a can-do attitude.
- Commercially aware and able to understand
the impact of IT support on business operations.
- Confident working independently while also
being a collaborative team player.
- Process-driven, with a continuous
improvement mindset.
- Personable, approachable, and able to build
trust with users across the business.
Benefits
- Competitive basic salary and annual
bonus;
- Vibrant, high-spec office environment;
- Enhanced annual leave, increasing with
length of service;
- Salary sacrifice pension;
- Quarterly all-staff events and dynamic
culture
Company Overview
Portman Finance Group was established in 2007 to provide UK SMEs with access to a range of finance options under one roof. We have now arranged over £1billion in funding for over 15,000 companies.
Portman secure finance for businesses of all sizes via our own lending and panel of over 40 partners. We offer flexible payment terms, reducing large initial outlays and protecting cash-flow, and are one of the largest privately owned Broker-Lenders in the UK.
Portman work with any type of private sector business. We have a long and successful history financing a variety of assets, quickly and easily. If you’re looking to lease or purchase further equipment, release equity or simply borrow, Portman can provide your business with the finance it needs.
Please note that as part of the recruitment process a criminal records check/credit history check will be carried out by an authorised third party.
Skills Required
- Proven experience managing helpdesk staff or an IT support team
- Experience implementing helpdesk best practices, policies, processes, and service management procedures
- Technical experience supporting Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, Azure AD / Entra ID, Azure infrastructure, Intune, and endpoint/device management
- Experience administering and supporting SaaS CRM platforms (ideally Zoho CRM; Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, HubSpot beneficial)
- Strong understanding of ticket management, incident prioritisation, escalation processes, SLAs, documentation, and reporting
- Experience personally handling escalated support tickets, complex technical issues, and high-volume helpdesk periods
- Experience managing onboarding and off-boarding processes, access control, permissions, and user lifecycle management
- Confident troubleshooting Microsoft cloud services, identity, device, access, and SaaS application issues
- Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced technical environment
- Practical, hands-on approach balancing management responsibilities with direct technical support
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to identify root causes and drive continuous improvement
- 3+ years' experience in IT support, service desk, systems administration, or helpdesk environments
- Previous experience in a Helpdesk Manager, Service Desk Manager, IT Support Manager, or Senior Support role
- Experience managing Microsoft Intune policies, device compliance, endpoint security, and application deployment
- Experience supporting Azure infrastructure, VPNs, networking, identity management, and cloud security controls
- Experience with Zoho CRM administration, workflows, dashboards, automations, and user permissions
- Familiarity with ITIL or similar service management frameworks
- Experience creating helpdesk KPIs, reports, knowledge bases, support policies, and process documentation
- Experience working with external IT providers, MSPs, or third-party SaaS vendors
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The Company
What We Do
Portman Finance Group is a UK specialist business-to-business finance broker and lender serving small and medium-sized enterprises. It arranges business loans, asset finance, leasing, and start-up funding, either through its own lending facilities or a panel of more than 60 lenders. The company provides tailored commercial finance, dedicated account management, and support intended to help businesses fund assets, manage cash flow, and pursue growth.
